I had a one-time potential exposure over 3 years ago. It was unprotected vaginal sex (I'm the male). About 8 months after the encounter I met the girl of my dreams and have fallen in love, we have been dating for about 2 1/2 yrs. My problem is that we are having health problems: extremely dry skin that cracks and bleeds, excessive dandruff, gastrointestinal problems, folliculitis, yeast infections, receeding and bleeding gums, red dry eyes, fungal nail infections, muscle atrophy, patchy hair loss, floaters in our eyesight, muscle cramps and joint pains, also swollen lymphnodes and horrible smelling urine (gross). My girlfriend was a virgin when we met and I had only had sex that one time. I have tested at 18 months, 20 months and 24 months DNA PCR and Elisa. Only have tested for hiv 2 one time at 20 months. I have been to the doctor and they can't figure out what is wrong with me. I tested through Specialized Testing/Quest Diag. Anybody else have an explanation for all of this crap? I have reached my wits end. My girlfriend has never even thought about HIV, because of my tests but I can't get it out of my head. Is there any possibility that it could be HIV?

I'm going out on a limb here, but there are just too many similarities. So how have you been Triple? I figure it is you because back in March you one time encounter was 2 1/2 years and now it is over 3 years. Your girlfriend was a virgin. You have tested repeatedly outside the window period. And you are complaining of basically the same symptoms as you did back then, except the KS. What happened to that. Did you get it under control? Was it a mis-diagnosis'? Or did you figure if you didn't mention it we wouldn't think it was you?

You know, at this point I just don't know if you and your girlfriend are really having all these problems or you just post this stuff from time to time for lack of something better to do. Do you even have a girlfriend? When you get asked questions concerning your girlfriend you never answer them. For instance, have you ever gotton around to telling your girlfriend your concerns? I mean if you are so convinced you have HIV and she is as important to you as you say she is, and such an angel. I just can't figure out why you haven't told her. From what you have said in the past I assume you are practicing unsafe sex. Are you really doing this? Or again, is this all made up so that there is really no risk in the first place.

I remember you went from being concerned that you might be HIV+ to being sure you had already gone to Advance HIV Disease. Now you seem to think your girlfriend has also. All the more reason to tell her don't you think? But then again. You have tested repeatedly outside the window period (18, 20 & 24 months). The last one was even a PCR DNA. All negative. So if what you say is really true then you have nothing to worry about as far as HIV is concerned. You don't have it.

First off look at the obvious. A one time unprotected encounter with a HIV+ woman is just a 1/500 chance. Second, you have had 3 tests, one of them a PCR DNA which looks for the actually virus, and would pick up the odd strains you are so worried about. They were all negative.

I know you are not concerned with ARS, too much time has has gone by. However the symptoms you and your girlfriend have are non-descript or just not something that one would consider to be caused by HIV.

Something you see quite a bit of in HIV - population. Dry skin that cracks and bleeds. Dandruff (Dandruff shampoo is a million dollar industry)Receding and Bleeding Gums Red Dry Eyes (What do you thing Visine 'gets the red out'?Fungal Nail Infections (Have you seen the commercial with peoples toes?Patch Hair Loss (Again, Rogaine is a stock to buy)floaters Joint Pain (Maybe HIV med related)

Things that could be found in HIV+ but are considered non-descript. A lot of these are problems in the HIV + for the same reasons they are in the HIV- population or due to side effects of medications. (I don't think you are on meds since you are negative)

Gastrointestinal Problems Muscle AtrophyMuscle CrampsJoint PainSwollen Lymph Nodes (while not caused from medications, any and all infections can cause swollen lymph nodes. Can never be used to diagonsis HIV).

Seen in both HIV+ and HIV- people, however the incidence of these may be higher in HIV+ people but they are not indicative of HIV infection.

Folliculitis (HIV positive people do have a higher rate of rashes and skin problems if they are symptomatic.) Yeast Infections - Women who are HIV+ can have a higher rate of yeast infections, but again, this is not indicative of infection. There are many causes of yeast infections. One of them that you may have not even thought about is you. I have heard of a few cases where a woman has had recurrent yeast infections. The cause was found to be her partner. The man had been infected with the yeast infection from her. Since it does not cause discomfort in men, the male partner does not go to the doctor to get it cleared up and ends up reinfecting his partner with the yeast infection until it is cleared up in him. Since I don't think you use protection it is quite possible that you are the cause of her recurrent yeast infections. For the record I have now been postive for almost 5 years and don't have any problem with yeast infections.

Under the 'You Got Me Category' Foul Smelling Urine. Haven't a clue. Never even heard of that. Maybe your diet.

Well I know I have been long winded, but I just wanted you to see that nothing you have posted conclusively determines that you have HIV. A matter of fact the only thing that is conclusive is your negative tests. There is no way it could be HIV. Since your doctors can't figure out what is wrong, maybe it is nothing physical. Perhaps what you see as the sypmptoms of your girlfriend are nothing and just what you believe. Perhaps the symptoms you are having are psychosomatic.

Of course the other alternative is trying to channel your energies. Perhaps fiction writing?

The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 750 3rd Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.